There has been a lot said lately about Dr. Chris Christensen. I feel, however, like we mostly heard the prosecutors’ side during the trial. I think it only fair that we also hear the other side from those who did not abuse his treatment. Dr. Chris was our family doctor and we were very thankful for his services.
Dr. Chris truly cared about his patients. He did his best to do his job effectively and affordably. And he did.
I’m thankful to say we did not often need his services. When we did, we were very thankful to have such a good doctor to go to.
We have our children at home with a wonderful midwife from Missoula. When our youngest was born he had some complications. He made his first visit to Dr. Chris when he was 12 hours old. Dr. Chris tenderly cared for him, even calling in the evening after work hours, to check on him. He also gave us his cell number and told us to call him any time. Our son is now 5 years old, strong and healthy.
Another time a virus went through our family. Dr. Chris examined three of us, but only charged us for one.
Dr. Chris is a kind, caring man and we are proud to say he was our doctor. I truly believe he was accused of a crime he did not commit. He is not a criminal and does not deserve the stress and shame he and his family have been put through.
Angela Leonardi
Hamilton
Elliott Oppenheim, MD,JD,LLM Health Law says
Absolutely right and this illustrating the tragedy! When I first me Chris, I was impressed at how bright and inquisitive he is; certainly medically competent. I encouraged him to “get a job” and do what family practice docs do; take care of families just like yours. I had no idea to what degree he was involved in narcotics and controlled substance distribution. He offered multifarious excuses as to why he was unable to get a job at an urgent care clinic or in non-clinical medicine… all of which pay well! Somehow he saw himself in this bloated role as the champion over pain. That would have been a great calling had he actually done that… become knowledgeable, learn the prevailing standards of care, offer and provide patients the standard of care… all of that would have been eminently laudable. His “pain crusade” was a thinly articulated pretext, however, for his cupidity and outright greed. How many dead patients and how many overdoses in two states! He did not learn from the Idaho debacle and repeated it here… but worse! This was not a laudable practice but a drug distribution and sales enterprise… and we lost a great practitioner… or potentially great doc… in the Bitterroot. … and that is a shame. Take your family to visit him when he is in prison. He’ll be there for a while and I am sure he’ll welcome the company. This is a devastation to his family, his wife, and children, and to the community.